These the Mazitu wished to put to death, but at the bidding of
Brother John, whose orders, it will be remembered, had the same
authority in Mazitu-land as those of the king, they bound their arms
and made them prisoners instead.
In about half an hour it was all over, but of the rest of that day I
cannot write, as I think I fainted from utter exhaustion, which was
not, perhaps, wonderful, considering all that we had undergone in the
four and a half days that had elapsed since we first embarked upon the
Great Lake. For constant strain, physical and mental, I recall no such
four days during the whole of my adventurous life. It was indeed
wonderful that we came through them alive.
The last thing I remember was the appearance of Sammy, looking very
smart, in his blue cotton smock, who, now that the fighting was over,
emerged like a butterfly when the sun shines after rain.
"Oh! Mr. Quatermain," he said, "I welcome you home again after arduous
exertions and looking into the eyes of bloody war. All the days of
absence, and a good part of the nights, too, while the mosquitoes
hunted slumber, I prayed for your safety like one o'clock, and
perhaps, Mr.
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